Ukrainian Oscar for Intellectuals

On March 26 the National Philharmonic of Ukraine hosted the solemn presentation of the Vernadsky Prize and lifetime stipends from the Ukraine-XXI Century Foundation for Intellectual Cooperation. Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said at the ceremony, “Ukraine can make a breakthrough only by means of intellect.” Among the fifteen laureates and scholarship holders were historians, art critics, cyberneticists, physicists, mathematicians, composers, poets, and others.

Director of the Institute of Philosophy of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences Myroslav Popovych confessed, “I was surprised that someone in the humanities, a philosopher could receive such a high award and be ranked among this country’s elite.”

The writers expressed their sincere gratitude. Yury Mushketyk said, “Contemporary people live in the illusion of progress. We make our life comfortable, braiding ourselves with electric wires. But is this progress? Progress resides in morality and culture, which develop very slowly. Now people more readily turn to a hamburger than a book.”

Oleksandr Syzonenko began his speech with the words, “I would wish that the anxiousness about the fate of the Iraqi people which is now showered with Tomahawks sounded in this audience. But the world’s intellectuals keep silence.”

Ukraine-XXI Century Foundation Chairman of the Board Bohdan Hubsky views the event’s goal primarily by supporting young intellectuals. “The young talents we are patronizing starting from their schooldays should find jobs worthy of their knowledge and abilities in their native country instead of going abroad to try their luck,” he said. As if to confirm his words, the scholarship for gifted children from underprivileged families was awarded third grader Yana Kovaliova from the village of Shevchenkove. The Day wrote about the conditions in which children have to study in Kobzar’s native village. Still, this land keeps providing Ukraine with talent. The laureate recited her poems, full of a strength far from childish, “I love Ukraine dearly” and “My village, Shevchenko’s land,” to which the audience gave an ovation.